Sheet metal evaporator



March 27, 1951 E. M. GAUL SHEET METAL EVAPORATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.. 18, 1947 INVENTOR.

ZdZdCZZd fika the header 2| is an outlet connection 22 to which a suction line of the refrigerating system (not shown) may be connected. Likewise passageway I4 is provided with an inlet connection 23 for attachment to the conventional capillary tube inlet from the refrigerating system. After the two sheets I and Ii have been superimposed and fixedly secured together, the resulting plate assembly is bent along the broken lines (indi-' cated in Fig. 1) to form the top, back and bottom of an evaporator positioned to resemble an overturned U-shape i. e. an assembly-wherein Y configuration of the supporting channel 35 which depends from each side wall section of the evaporator. The upper marginal edges of the front and back wall sections, 38 and 39 respectively, of the drip tray, and indicated generally by the numeral 42, should be of such height as to provide clearance and permit the tray to be slipped over and removedwithout interference from the supporting channel guides 35.- The: tray thus fashioned can be removed for emptying and ,other purposes by simply sliding it off its supin Fig. 1 now becomes the top portion of the port ice-freezing trays and the like thereon in.

effective heat transfer relationship. The evaporator as formed. is positioned in therefrigerating unit so that the open throat of the overturned U assembly forms a front opening through which access is had for the insertion or removal therefrom of ice-trays and the like.

'. Tocomplete the enclosure of the evaporator, two vertical side wall'sections indicated generally by the numeral 26 are provided. Since these wall sections are identical in construction, only one such wall element will be described in detail. Each such vertical side wall 26 is fashioned preferably from sheet metal and is provided along the upper marginal edge thereof with an inwardly turned supporting flange 21 which may be provided with any of the conventional "mounting means for attachment to the interior Wall of a refrigerating cabinet. Depending from the flange 21 is a vertical section 28, coextensive withthe longitudinal depth of the evaporator, fashioned with two spaced apart ship-type flanges 29 and 30 adapted to provide guide channels 3| and 32 for supporting the shelves, 2d and respectively, therein. Depending from the lower flange is a section 33 having an outwardly extending U- shaped channelt l whose outer marginal edge terminates in a semi-circular inverted channel 35. It will be understood that two such similar wall sections will be provided and will be positioned in complementary parallel relationship against opposed longitudinal marginal edges of the shelves-2d and 25. The-channels 3| and 33 are eachopened only enough to permit mainteriance of a reasonably tight fit when pressed over the edges of the shelvesfs and 25. Fig. '7 shows this structure clearly in an enlarged detail. :A drip tray, slightly larger in outside dimen channel --4I corresponding substantially to the vporting channel guides 35.

A drip tray of the character suitable for use with this embodiment of my invention may be fashioned from any suitable material. A preferred form involves sheet metal first stamped out and then bent to shape after whichthe'vertical joints thereof may be secured in any'conventional manner that will provide' asubstantially liquid-tight tray container. Such tray, however, may conceivably be fashioned-- from one of many suitable molding materials, such as the plastics or glass, and thus this feature of the invention is not limited to any specific material.

Slotted openings 43 spaced along the floor of the depending channel 34 are provided to permit moisture that accumulates on the side wall sections of the evaporator to drain into the drip tray 35. Since the outside dimensions of the drip tray 36 are sufiiciently large to permit overlapping of the sides and back of the evaporator, it will be appreciated that any moisture accumulations coming off the evaporator will readily flow into the drip tray and thus prevent spoilage of any" food located in the compartment whichfin the conventional refrigerator, is generally positioned below the evaporator.

In operation, cold'refrigerant enters the inlet opening 23-, from a refrigerating system (not shown) and flows through the sinuous liquid passageway l4 into the conduit l6 and the header :8, whence it is distributed uniformly into the parallel longitudinally extending passageways 15. From the oppositeend of these passages, the-re frigerant is collected ina header l9 and directedthrough smaller passageways 2!! into a secondheader 2! from whichit is returned through-the outlet connection 22 .to the suction line of the this first transverse convolution is substantially parallel with the evaporator openingfit will be appreciated that a substantially uniformtemperature differential will be maintained across this opening. To further effectuate a uniform temperature differential, particularly across' the lower portion of the evaporator, the refrigerant after completing its passage through the sinuous passageway is directed by means ot the passageway it into the heade 'IB where it is uniformly distributed transversely-across the portion" of. the lower shelf 25 adjacent this opening. These characteristics effectuate highly effective heat transferring qualities, thus operating to provide a more eflicient evaporator. In a refrigerating system of the character contemplated for use with evaporators of the type herein described,

the refrigerant, during its flow through the evaporator, changes from a liquid to a gas, and, by the time it reaches the header 19, most of "it has attained the gaseous state.

Now, in order to 'as sure that the refrigerant is completely converted to a gas when it reaches the compressor, there is provided the second header 2 I. Connecting bleeder passageways 20, of slightly smaller diameter than the headers I9 and 2| tend to change the direction of flow of the refrigerant therethrough, and, by so doing, more time is provided to allow the evaporation of any liquid refrigerant which might remain at this point. As the refrigerant passes through the outlet connection 22 and into the return suction line to the compressor the direction of flow of said refrigerant is again changed, thus providing additional time in which to further effectuate complete evaporation. In this manner the refrigerant is eifectively purged of any slugs 'beforeit returns to the compressor and the refrigerating cycle.

As previously described, the uppermost surfaces of both the upper and lower shelves, 24 and 25 respectively, are fashioned so that they are substantially flat and planar, and, since they are integrally formed and completely refrigerated, it will be appreciated that a simple and inexpensive means for incorporating a plurality of highly effective heat absorbing shelves, for supporting icefreezing trays and the like, into a sheet metal evaporator has been provided.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An evaporator cooling unit for refrigerating systems, comprising: two sheet metal plates having depressions in each plate and superimposed one upon the other and fixedly secured together to provide continuous passageways for the passage of refrigerant therethrough, said plates being fashioned to provide a plurality of integrally formed planar surfaced horizontally disposed refrigerated shelves; inlet and outlet means for connection with a refrigerating system; side wall sections removably secured to said shelves; said side walls having dependingmeans, including a U-shaped channel terminating in an inverted semi-circular channel member, adapted to support a moisture collecting container suspended therefrom.

2. An evaporator cooling unit for refrigerating systems comprising two sheetmetal plates having depressions in each plate and superimposed one upon the other and fixedly secured together to provide continuous passageways for the passage of refrigerant therethrough, said plates being fashioned to provide a plurality of integrally formed planar surfaced horizontally disposed refrigerated shelves, inlet and outlet means for connection with a refrigerating system, side wall sections removably secured to said shelves, said side walls having a depending means including a U-shaped channel provided with a perforated floor therein and terminating in an inverted semi-circular channel member adapted to support a moisture collecting container suspended therefrom.

being fashioned to provide a plurality of integrally fashioned planar surfaced horizontally disposed refrigerated shelves, inlet and outlet means for connection with a refrigerating system, side wall sections removably secured to said shelves, said side walls having depending means including a U-shaped channel member provided with a perforated floor therein and terminating in an inverted semi-circular channel member adapted to support in slidable relationship a moisture collecting container suspended therefrom, and a moisture collecting container having upwardly extending side wall portions terminating in inverted semi-circular channel sections adapted to be suspended in slidable relationship from said side wall members.

4. An evaporator cooling unit for refrigerating system comprising, two sheet metal plates having depressions in each plate and superimposed one upon the other and. fixedly secured together to provide continuous passageways for the passage of refrigerant therethrough, said plates being fashioned to provide a plurality of integrally formed planar refrigerated horizontal shelf surfaces, inlet and outlet means for connection with a refrigerating system, a pair of vertical side wall sections adapted for removable afiixment to opposed marginal edges of said shelves, said side wall sections having mounting means coextensive with their upper marginal edges and having spaced apart flange means adapted to snugly straddle the marginal edges of said refrigerated shelves and having integrally fashioned U- shaped channel sections provided with a perforated floor therein depending from the lower portion of said wall sections, said depending U channels having their outer marginal edges terminating in outwardly extending semi-circular inverted'channels, and a moisture container having upwardly extending wall sections terminating in inwardly extending semi-circular inverted channels adapted to be suspended in slidable relationship with said outwardly extending channels of first said-wall sections.

EDWARD M. GAUL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,684,558 Schwarz Sept. 18, 1928 2,046,943 Grothouse July 7, 1936 2,297,219 Hintze Sept. 29, 1942 2,325,705 Philipp Aug. 3, 1943 2,410,360 Philipp Oct. 29, 1946 2,451,744 Johnson Oct. 19, 1948 

